Bridges and Miller help the Hornets beat the Bulls 112-99

CHICAGO (AP) — Miles Bridges had 26 points and 14 rebounds, helping the Charlotte Hornets beat the Chicago Bulls 112-99 on Saturday night.

Brandon Miller scored 22 points for Charlotte, and Kon Knueppel finished with 18. LaMelo Ball added 17 points and seven assists.

The Hornets had lost three straight and five of seven. They improved to 5-2 on the second day of back-to-back games.

Nikola Vucevic had 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for Chicago, which had won two in a row and seven of nine overall. Matas Buzelis scored 17 points.

The Bulls closed out a 3-3 homestand after they beat the Magic 121-114 on Friday night.

Charlotte trailed by 15 before moving in front with a big third quarter, outscoring Chicago 32-17 in the period. Miller made three of the Hornets' seven 3-pointers in the third, and the Bulls shot 21.7% (5 for 23) from the field in the quarter.

Miller's 3 made it 82-73 with 49.3 seconds left, but Ayo Dosunmu's driving layup trimmed Chicago's deficit to seven going into the fourth.

The Hornets pulled away with a 10-0 run in the final period. Miller capped the decisive stretch with a fadeaway jumper that made it 105-87 with 4:01 left.

Charlotte outrebounded Chicago 52-43 while playing with a depleted frontcourt. Moussa Diabate (wrist), Ryan Kalkbrenner (elbow), Mason Plumlee (groin surgery), Grant Williams (knee surgery) and Tidjane Salaun (ankle soreness) were sidelined by injuries.

Bulls guards Josh Giddey (left hamstring) and Coby White (right calf) each missed their third consecutive game after they got hurtin a lossto Minnesota on Monday night. Jalen Smith departed in the third quarter after a collision with Ball, and the Bulls said he was being evaluated for a concussion.

The Bulls had a 58-50 lead at the break. Dosunmu scored 14 points in the first half on 6-for-7 shooting, includinga half-court buzzer-beaterat the end of the first quarter.

Hornets: At Oklahoma City on Monday night.

Bulls: At Boston on Monday night.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/NBA

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January 03, 2026

Bridges and Miller help the Hornets beat the Bulls 112-99

CHICAGO (AP) — Miles Bridges had 26 points and 14 rebounds, helping the Charlotte Hornets beat the Chicago Bulls 112-99 ...

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Deni Avdija has triple-double to power Trail Blazers past Spurs, 115-110

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Deni Avdija had 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, Donovan Clingan added a career-high 24 points along with 12 rebounds and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the San Antonio Spurs 115-110 on Saturday night.

Toumani Camara had 20 points and eight rebounds as Portland led for all but 18 seconds in picking up its second straight victyory.

Luke Kornet had 20 points and Julian Champagnie added 20 points and 10 rebounds for San Antonio. The Spurs had won two straight.

The Spurs were without All-Star center Victor Wembanyama (left knee soreness) and Devin Vassell (strained left adductor). San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said Wembanyama remains day-to-day, but is "looking really good" and expects him to accompany the team to Memphis for a game Tuesday night.

It was the second night of back-to-back games for both teams.

Portland never trailed in the first half, building its lead to 15 points while San Antonio shot 3 for 12 on 3-pointers.

The Spurs captured their lone lead with five minutes remaining in the third quarter. Kelly Olynyk's free throw following an off-ball foul on Champagnie's 3-pointer gave San Antonio its first lead at 74-71 lead. That advantage lasted only 18 seconds as former Spurs forward Sidy Cissoko drained a 3-pointer.

Portland went on a 12-0 run bridging the third and fourth quarters in capturing a 93-80 lead with 10:36 remaining in the game.

San Antonio rallied again, with De'Aaron Fox's steal and pass to Stephon Castle for a breakaway dunk cutting Portland's lead to 111-110 with 1:36 remaining. As they had all game, the Trail Blazers efficiently rebuilt their lead to topple the Spurs.

Fox finished with 19 points and Castle had 16.

Portand was 19 for 45 on 3-pointers, while San Antonio was 10 for 31.

Blazers: Host Utah on Monday night.

Spurs: At Memphis on Tuesday night.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/NBA

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January 03, 2026

Deni Avdija has triple-double to power Trail Blazers past Spurs, 115-110

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Deni Avdija had 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, Donovan Clingan added a career-high 24 points ...

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Edwards and Reid combine for 62, Timberwolves win 125-115 to snap Heat's 4-game winning streak

MIAMI (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 33 points, Naz Reid had 20 of his 29 in the second half and the Minnesota Timberwolves pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Miami 125-115 on Saturday night and snap the Heat's four-game winning streak.

Julius Randle finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota, which outscored Miami 19-4 in the opening 4 1/2 minutes of the final quarter to turn a four-point lead into a 109-90 edge. Rudy Gobert added 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Timberwolves.

Norman Powell scored 21 for the Heat, who are 3-5 in their last eight home games. Davion Mitchell and Nikola Jovic added 14 for Miami, while Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins each had 12.

76ERS 130, KNICKS 119

NEW YORK (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 36 points, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe each had 26 and Philadelphia beat the New York for their third straight victory.

Paul George added 15 points and Quentin Grimes had 10 for the 76ers, who won at Madison Square Garden for the second time this season. Embiid also grabbed 10 rebounds.

Jalen Brunson scored 31 points for the Knicks, who have lost three straight for the second time this season. Karl-Anthony Towns, who returned after missing one game due to illness, added 23 points and 14 rebounds.

Deuce McBride scored 20 points, OG Anunoby had 19 and Mikal Bridges added 12 for New York.

RAPTORS 134, HAWKS 117

TORONTO (AP) — RJ Barrett scored a season-high 29 points, Brandon Ingram also had 29 and Toronto beat Atlanta in the first of back-to-back meetings between the teams.

Scottie Barnes scored 20 points and Immanuel Quickley had 15 for the Raptors, who have won five straight meetings with the Hawks and three of four games overall. Sandro Mamukelashvili had 13 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high eight assists.

Barrett scored eight points as Toronto, up one through three quarters, opened the fourth with a 16-0 run to take a 123-106 lead with 7:18 remaining. The Raptors are 17-1 this season when taking a lead to the fourth.

Atlanta missed six straight field-goal attempts to begin the final period before Nickeil Alexander-Walker connected for a 3 with 6:49 left.

Alexander-Walker finished with 31 points, Jalen Johnson added 30 and Dyson Daniels had 20 points and 12 assists for the Hawks.

HORNETS 112, BULLS 99

CHICAGO (AP) — Miles Bridges had 26 points and 14 rebounds, helping Charlotte beat Chicago.

Brandon Miller scored 22 points for Charlotte, and Kon Knueppel finished with 18. LaMelo Ball added 17 points and seven assists.

The Hornets had lost three straight and five of seven. They improved to 5-2 on the second day of back-to-back games.

Nikola Vucevic had 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for Chicago, which had won two in a row and seven of nine overall. Matas Buzelis scored 17 points.

TRAIL BLAZERS 115, SPURS 110

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Deni Avdija had 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, Donovan Clingan added a career-high 24 points along with 12 rebounds and Portland beat San Antonio.

Toumani Camara had 20 points and eight rebounds as Portland led for all but 18 seconds in picking up its second straight victyory.

Luke Kornet had 20 points and Julian Champagnie added 20 points and 10 rebounds for San Antonio. The Spurs had won two straight.

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January 03, 2026

Edwards and Reid combine for 62, Timberwolves win 125-115 to snap Heat's 4-game winning streak

MIAMI (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 33 points, Naz Reid had 20 of his 29 in the second half and the Minnesota Timberwolv...

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US Speedskating was right to change qualifying procedures | Opinion

MILWAUKEE, WI — No matter what he did at the Olympic trials, Jordan Stolz was assured of going to the Milano Cortina Games.

A stumble in his best event, the 1,000 meters, was a reminder of why that is. And why it's a good thing.

Stolz qualified for the 1,000 meters, one of four individual events in which he'll be favored to win gold, with a third-place finish Saturday. But in a sport where quota limits sometimes require countries to make hard choices, it was eerily reminiscent of the scenario four years ago that nearly kept Erin Jackson out of the 500 meters, the distance where she would win Olympic gold.

"Jordan's a really awesome skater, so I'm really glad he was protected in that moment," said Jackson, who will race both the 500 and 1,000 meters in Milano Cortina afterwinning the latter distanceearlier Saturday.

"He still ended up getting third, but yeah, it's nice to have those protections," Jackson added. "We want to have our medal contenders out contending for medals at the Games."

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January 03, 2026

US Speedskating was right to change qualifying procedures | Opinion

MILWAUKEE, WI — No matter what he did at the Olympic trials, Jordan Stolz was assured of going to the Milano Cortina Gam...

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NFL fines Rams' Jared Verse $11K for flashing peace sign during blocked FG return for TD against Falcons

Jared Verse was scared of both being called for a penalty and what his coach's reaction would be after flashing the peace sign at the Atlanta Falcons' bench during his 76-yard blocked field goal return for a touchdown Monday night.

The Los Angeles Rams linebacker wasn't flagged on the play, nor was he chewed out by Sean McVay after the touchdown during their27-24 losstothe Falcons.

Verse, the 2024 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, was fined by the league, however, with the NFL announcing Saturday it isdocking him $11,593for "unsportsmanlike conduct [taunting]."

BLOCKED! JARED VERSE TAKES IT ALL THE WAY BACK FOR SIX!LARvsATL on ESPN/ABCStream on@NFLPlusand ESPN Apppic.twitter.com/4NQmlP4wy7

— NFL (@NFL)December 30, 2025

"I was scared as [expletive],"Verse said earlier this week about potentially taking a penalty. "I was like, 'Sean's going to kill me.' I was like, 'It's bad.' I got to the end zone and was like, 'They're not going to review it? Alright, bet.'"

The NFL has fined players for using the peace sign before, with the gesture falling under unsportsmanlike conduct.

Tyreek Hill hasbeen finedmultiple timesfor using the gesture. One occurrence happened during thelegendary "13 seconds" gameagainst the Buffalo Bills in January 2022 while the receiver was with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was $10,300 lighter in the wallet after a 64-yard touchdown run.

The following season,Odell Beckham Jr. was fined $10,927during a touchdown run while he was with the Baltimore Ravens.

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January 03, 2026

NFL fines Rams' Jared Verse $11K for flashing peace sign during blocked FG return for TD against Falcons

Jared Verse was scared of both being called for a penalty and what his coach's reaction would be after flashing the ...

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